The Killers apologise after being booed for bringing Russian fan onstage in Georgia

16 August, 2023

The Killers

The Killers have apologised after being booed for inviting a Russian fan onstage during a concert in Georgia last night (August 15)

The band, who were performing at the Black Sea Arena in Batumi, invited a man to play drums with them during their rendition of ‘For Reasons Unknown’.

There is a long history of tension between Georgia and Russia after the latter invaded the country in 2008, with Russia still to occupying 20 per cent of Georgia. Since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine last year, there has been an influx of Russians to Georgia, with some Russians facing a backlash, reports The Guardian.

Introducing the fan, frontman Brandon Flowers told the crowd: “We don’t know the etiquette of this land but this guy’s a Russian. You OK with a Russian coming up here?” before he was greeted with boos from the audience.

Part of the audience left concert of @thekillers at the Black Sea Arena in Georgia in protest after amid booing the group’s frontman who invited a Russian drummer to the stage and said everyone are “brothers and sisters” pic.twitter.com/mhtklWIOKf

— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) August 15, 2023

The people of Georgia once again voiced their honest opinion. Russians will never be comfortable in this country, because we are their enemies, not their brothers and sisters.

F off @thekillers pic.twitter.com/VkS7mBJX4Q

— Visioner (@visionergeo) August 15, 2023

After the song, Flowers addressed the incident, when he asked the crowd: “You can’t recognise if someone’s your brother? He’s not your brother? We all separate on the borders of our countries? … Am I not your brother, being from America?”

Flowers continued, urging the audience to celebrate “that we’re here together”. “I don’t want it to turn ugly. And I see you as my brothers and my sisters,” he added.

#Russia|n drummer at The Killers concert spoke about the Russian-#Georgia|n "friendship", which caused public protests pic.twitter.com/bVf7TMrFFw

— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) August 15, 2023

Despite carrying on with the rest of the show a number of fans reportedly left the concert in protest.

Crowds abandon @thekillers concert in Georgia as its frontman invited a Russian drummer to the stage and insisted on performing with him despite protest from the crowd. The crowd then erupted in more protest with its significant part quitting the concert pic.twitter.com/oPiaicuUzk

— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) August 15, 2023

Following the show, the band issued a statement apologising and said “they did not mean to upset anyone”.

The Killers wrote: “Good people of Georgia, it was never our intention to offend anyone!

“We have a longstanding tradition of inviting people to play drums and it seemed from the stage that the initial response from the crowd indicated that they were okay with tonight’s audience participation member coming onstage with us.

“We recognize that a comment, meant to suggest that all of the Killers’ audience and fans are ‘brothers and sisters’ could be misconstrued. We did not mean to upset anyone and we apologize. We stand with you and hope to return soon.”